I firmly believe that this year will be a watershed year for us as we go all out and trust God for what He has.

When I was in Phoenix AZ reaching out in the projects to the children and teens, the area was literally run by the gangs.

People were scared

There were drive-by shootings

drug deals and fights and murders on a regular basis.

And there was something I found in the children and in the teens that ripped me to the very core of my being, they had no hope.

If you were to ask them what their dream was, what they wanted to be when they grew up

They would say, “I don’t know” or “Nothing” or that they just wanted to live long enough to graduate high school. They lived in complete despair.

That is where much of our world is at - living in complete despair. Without hope.

For many, this day is not one of joy and renewed hope, because their hope is lost

The New Year is not exciting and full of celebration, because it means another year has passed and things haven’t changed or have gotten worse.

1. It doesn’t have to be that way because - Praise God, there is hope!

[Eccl. 9:4-10]

As long as there is life, there can be a dream, the anticipation of a new plan, a second chance, there’s love, there’s purpose. In a word - there is hope!

Now if we read the first several chapters of Eccl and even the first verses of this one, we could groan and say, “that’s life! That’s just the way it is!” {sigh} and take a gloomy approach to what Solomon is saying.

Unfortunately, this is what many do.

They take on a pessimistic, jaded, cynical view of people and the world.

Christians may be the worst at this because we focus on the sin and depravity and proclaim the glass is almost empty.

While there is some truth in this, we must learn to see the potential that exists, the possibilities that are before us.

Remember, where sin abounds, grace does much more abound.

We don’t have to look around and see the despair and so become despaired, we can look around and see the despair and say, “Not even this is beyond the power of God.”

And then we roll up our sleeves and begin to do something about it.

Full of hope in the awesome ability of God

Again, look at verse seven - it begins, “Go” He is telling us to read on.

To go on.

Live life. Do something

As a professor of Christian Studies at Dallas Theological Seminary, Dr. Ken Gangel says, “have a blast while you last.”

verse “[7] Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for it is now that God favors what you do.”

Whenever I have played any sport, football, volleyball, basketball, softball, whatever – I have found it to be much more enjoyable when I was in the game.

No matter how muddy or dusty, it was a blast to play, but not as much fun sitting on the bench watching.

2. Life is not a sentence that God has leveled against us. God is not angry with us.

Too many people picture God as this old man with a long beard and a frown.

He has a club with a big railroad spike driven through it and He’s looking at us - to get us!